BIG BOB and MIMI

Connor and I travelled to Brownsville Friday to spend the night with BIG BOB and MIMI!Brad had work and a golf tournament so he did not get to go with us. We drove into "Browntown" sporting and new haircut. We made our first stop at Mimi's work. Connor loves to ask Mimi for the blue bouncy ball that she keeps at work for him to play with. He always laughs and giggles lots with it. Well....the ball was not there! So instead Connor worked the type writer and adding machine. When time we headed home for lunch and nap. Connor LOVES playing with all the balls that Mimi has at her house. He loves the red wagon full of toys. Big Bob fixed us a delicious salmon dinner that even Connor ate up! He's such a GREAT chef! We slept good and got up ready for Big Bob's pancakes. I'm not sure why but Connor always talks and thinks of Big Bob cooking pancakes. This Saturday morning though it was no ordinary pancake...with Mimi's help, Connor had Mickey Mouse pancake!!

We made a trip out to the John Deere store with lots of fun to be had but no tshirt in Connor's size!??!I think I will just have to order one. We then headed to the really nice walking track to feed the ducks and fish. Now it was time to shop at an Estate Sale. Ms. Melissa MacKensie was my beloved piano teacher. She is in heaven making beautiful music and keeping everyone straight now but her house and "things" were all for sale. It was quite sad. I did hold it together really well until I walked into the music room where I had spent soo many times with her. Then I did have to cry just a little. We did get to buy some beautiful and special keepsakes.
Connor had a "two year old" spell. One of his worst ever so far. He did not want to take his nap and could not get settled down in his bed. Finally after several spankings and fits and screaming spells and hugs and just the right timing-he gave up the fight and obeyed!! MAN!! The selfish nature finding its way...scary but such natural thing. He does do a good job of apologizing and hugging and saying "I obey Mommy/Daddy".

After nap we were up and playing...baseball...golf...outside...FUN TIME!! We ate another yummy Big Bob dinner and headed back home. Daddy was waiting on us.

Riding home Connor talked of how he loves Big Bob and Mimi and their house and their dog and pancakes and ducks and toys and books and ...it was if he was retelling his time to me as if I hadn't been there. His memory and tender sweet spirit always amazes me. I will note though that when he did not mention his "nap fit" I reminded him. He just said, "i cry" and " i get trouble".Ther is no place like home and every trip to Big Bob and Mimi's is much fun!

Jonah...I MUST OBEY!!

I have the joy of teaching preschool choir on Wednesday nights at church. I love my precious choir and how they LOVE to sing to God.We have been focusing on Bible characters and songs that go along. This week we learned about Jonah. I had "leftovers" and used it with Connor and Eli.They absolutely LOVED it!! We had the best time!

We read the story out of Connor's Bible, acted it out,(several times) colored and glued a whale, learned to sing the song "Who Did Swallow Jonah", spit that Jonah out of a party blower, played outside with boats, whales and water, ate goldfish as a snack of course. The main lesson from Jonah is I MUST OBEY!! That is huge for Connor and Eli at this stage. They were definitely little sponges today soaking it all up and "spitting" it back out!!

SUPER BULLDOGS!

This past weekend was SUPER BULLDOG weekend in Starkville, MS.It has been a while since we have been apart of this weekend. It was Connor's first.

We drove down Friday night. We went to my brother, Robert, and his wife, Lane's house.Connor immediately rememebered their little dog Gus and had a ball. We waited for Mimi and Big Bob to drive in for dinner time. Robert received a phone call that their call had broken down right down the road. So we all went to the rescue. Connor was quite confused as we sat in the car not able to get out. I told him that their car was broken. As they unloaded their luggage, Connor said, "Big Bob not talk to me." " Big Bob not happy." "Mimi's car broken." Sweet boy understood the situation quite well. Once Mimi got in the car with us, Connor's concern was then gone. We headed off to Oby's to eat dinner together. (We did get their car towed and fixed.) We spent the night with our dear friends, Nathan (Nate T) and Ashley Taylor. They are our football season ticket buddies. We had not ever had the chance to stay with them so it was fun talking, laughing and just hanging out.

We got up Saturday morning and hit the road straight to Shipley's Donuts. This is Brad's favorite. Connor thoroughly enjoyed eating the top of his chocolate donut!! Then the boys dropped me off to go shop at the Cotton District Festival while they did "boy stuff"...to the bakery for first ever "bone cookie", walking around campus "soaking it all up" and a little bit of shopping at the campus bookmart. Brad had to call me and brag on his boy...Connor told him that "the bullies play the cats at baseball". We had talked about going to the baseball game Friday morning and that it was against the cats...GO BIG BLUE! So he remembered and told his daddy-which blew Brad's mind. I'm sure he was a foot taller walking around in pride of his smart son.For lunch Robert grilled out for us and there were amazing chocolate dipped strawberries. Mimi had bought Connor a duck on a stick that he immediately loved playing with.

The 3 of us then took off to the baseball game-Connor's first STATE baseball game.He had a GREAT time and almost made it through the whole game...that went into extra innings. He had to get his rest in before the football game. So he did miss the winning home run?!?! Atleast they won the game and we can say his first game was a win!

Now it was on to the Spring football game. Everybody was all hyped up about new coach, new uniforms, new offense, new...it was fun! Because Connor has been to many a football games he was right at home and enjoyed it fully.I was quite happy to see them bring back the dog pound rock. Brad was pretty impressed with the new offense...let's see, not running it up the middle every play may actully help us score this year!! Connor saw and talked about all hs favorites...BULLY, the band, the "coach"-which we will have to start working on the new "Dan the Man", the BIG flag, helmets, football, fight song, cowbells, etc....he truly is a little BULLY!

It ended up being a fun filled SUPER BULLDOG WEEKEND for us...GO BULLY!

Easter Weekend!

What a FUNfilled Easter weekend! Each holiday is exciting to experience together as a family. And in our hard decision making struggle about where and what to be and do...we did decide to keep FAMILY FIRST!! We are blessed to live close to both our families where we can easily drive to them.

Friday began with just the 3 of us!! We headed out to Cedar Hills Farm! Even though it was a little chilly and very windy, we had a GREAT time! We took our picture first with a LIVE bunny!! Connor could not wait to hold that white bunny. Surprisingly he did GREAT!!

We then visited all the animals. Connor then made his trip to see the Easter Bunny. Luckily, we had him to ourselves for a little while because it took Connor a little while to finally get close to him. He talked up a storm to him..."you are white...you have ears...you hop...come my house..."

Next Connor and Daddy rode the train! YEAH!

We then rode the "John Deere tractor" out to hunt eggs. Connor had it all to himself for a little bit and just took off in the field of a million eggs in hunt for the 12 he wanted to pick up!! He didn't discover until the end that there actually was something in the eggs...so he and daddy shared a tootsie roll!!

Saturday, my parents "Mimi and Big Bob" were here with us. We went to the church egg hunt all together. Our best buddies were there and buy was it FUN! Connor found lots of eggs with Big Bob's help!!Then it was PLAY time on the playground with my friends. I think Mimi and Big Bob had a blast watching him interact with his friends. We ate a hotdog lunch picnic style. Then emptied out all the eggs on the way home looking for CANDY!! Connor seems to like the smarties the best.

Mimi and Big Bob stayed to play a little while before they had to go home. It was long awaited time with them...reading books, playing cars and hunting more eggs!

We then drove Saturday night to Jackson to be with Brad's family. Connor had his first egg dieing party there. We were not quite sure how that would go...but he loved it! He was pretty patient. I think only one egg was broken! He did a fantastic job and you could tell he was proud!

There is nothing better than Easter Sunday morning!! We woke up and got ready. We found that there was ...STUFF...in our easter baskets!! How nice!! Grandmomma and Grandpa went with us to First Baptist Jackson...our old church. It is always nice to be back there. Connor kept saying "Jackson"...we think that he thinks the big church is called Jackson!?!?! The service was AMAZING-MUSIC there is like no other...heavenly!!

We then headed back home for lunch with all the family!

We also hunted eggs...really pretty eggs that Jet had brought. JJ and Jet hid the eggs and then Connor found them all...except the last one- he had everybody looking for!!?!? When it was finally found...Olivia/"Viva" also found a real frog!

What a WONDERFUL weekend to celebrate JESUS!! What WONDERFUL families we have!!